Pubdate: Tue, 08 Jul 2014
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2014 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Author: Christine L. Miller
Page: 12

HARRIS HAS GOOD REASON TO OPPOSE D.C. MARIJUANA LAW

Your recent editorial, "The Harris boycott" (July 7) put far too much 
emphasis on the politics and not enough on what really matters. The 
Washington, D.C., City Council has just passed the most lenient 
marijuana decriminalization law in the nation, with a $25 fine that 
is not only less than the average traffic ticket but involves no 
point system. Do we really want the capital of our nation and mecca 
for family tourism to go down this path?

The data show that states with lenient decriminalization laws have 
higher rates of youth use, as reported to the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, than those that have stricter 
decriminalization with higher civil penalties for the first offense, 
increasing penalties for repeat offenders, and/or requirements for 
drug education. In some states that have decriminalized in practice, 
the offense is still a misdemeanor criminal charge that is removed 
from the books only if you go through the court system. Most counties 
in Maryland had a similar "diversion" system for those apprehended 
for possession, even before our recently passed, and relatively 
strict, decriminalization law.

As much as marijuana advocates may claim that laws don't make a 
difference to drug use, their position flies in the face of common 
sense and the truth.

Christine L. Miller, Baltimore
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom